26-27 November 2023, Madrid, Spain

The Directors General of the EUPAN Network recently met during the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This gathering included esteemed representatives from the European Commission, EIPA, Director Generals from the27 Member States and 7 Observer States, with an extended invitation to ReSPA’s Director in an expert capacity.

Lidia Sánchez Milán, Secretary of State for the Civil Service at the Ministry of Finance and the Civil Service, extended a warm welcome to all participants, while the keynote address by Víctor Lapuente Giné, Professor at the Department of Political Science and Research Fellow at the Quality of Government Institute, University of Gothenburg, centred around the future of public administration. Mario Nava, Director-General of DG Reform at the European Commission, introduced ComPAct - Enhancing the European Administrative Space, which also seeks to contribute to supporting the public administration reforms in the enlargement countries.

The event featured panel discussions on crucial public administration topics, including Gender Equality in Public Administrations, National Traditions and Common Frameworks in Public Administration, examining principles of Public Administration, Quality of Public Administration, and the Common Assessment Framework (CAF),  Public Sector Expertise in International Technical Cooperation and Regional Cooperation, delving into public technical cooperation for value-based external action and regional collaboration..

Furthermore, the event highlighted ongoing PACE initiatives, notably the French PACE multi-country project on HR issues that will be partially also open to WB civil servants as well.

Conversations centred on ComPAct, modernizing public administration, promoting gender equality, innovative digital services, strengthening European administrative practices, and sharing expertise in international cooperation. Participation in projects like the French PACE project on HR issues will significantly enhance ReSPA's upcoming work program. This collaboration seeks to empower civil servants in the region by offering valuable insights and advancements in their professional fields.